How it Once Was
by Jarv Rathkyn
Summary: Comedy? True love? Action? The truth about the exploits of the Marauders and others? You'll find them all right here.


Chapter 1: Don't Mess with Girls

"Watch it!" exclaimed Remus, as Lily sent a knife hurtling through the air.

"I was just trying to set the silverware right, but I might have accidentally set something flying. Sorry!"

"I'm going to kill you for that!" Remus cried, and ran after Lily.

"You won't have to Remus. I'll gladly do it for you," said James as he popped out of nowhere.

"Go away, James!" Lily said, and she started to stalk away angrily. Just then, she was lifted slightly into the air and couldn't move.

"Stop! No using magic Remus! You…" she was turned around and saw that Remus was hanging in the air by his ankles. "Let him down!" she demanded of James.

James let her go but kept Remus hanging in the air. "Say you'll go out with me," he said, calmly and smoothly.

"In your dreams!" With that, she walked away, her red hair swirling behind her. James followed, but left Remus hanging in the air all night.

The next morning, Lily was in the big, puffy armchair by the fireplace when James came down from his dorm and looked out the window. Remus was still hanging, but someone had wrapped him in a warm blanket. His face was a rather attractive shade of red.

Lily got up and walked over to where James was. "Hey James, want to go down to breakfast together?" she asked slyly.

"Sure,' he replied, a little timid. He wondered, _what had happened to her overnight?_

At breakfast, Lily sat next to James and scooted close to him. In a voice that carried across Great Hall, she said, "Hey James, I have the kiss you've been waiting for." She added, "only on the cheek though."

Everyone stopped and looked at them. Lily bent over and lightly kissed James on the cheek and left the Great Hall. A few seconds later, James felt his cheek turning hot, and Livvy cried, "James, you have something red on your face!" James touched his cheek and it burned. He quickly went to the bathroom and looked in the mirror. On his cheek were the words: I'm a loser, I messed with Lily Evans.

He quickly tried to splash it off with water, but it made it redder and it hurt more. He tore out of the bathroom, full of rage, yet shocked and surprised that Lily could do something so complex. He went to Potions and saw Lily. Livvy and Lizzy were talking with her, wondering what had happened. When the Potions door closed, everyone looked at James and laughed at what had happened to him.

"What happened to you?" Professor Slughorn asked.

"Can't you see what happened? It's written on his face!" Lizzy announced through fits of laughter.

The class quieted when Professor Slughorn told them to write a four page essay on the benefits of using magic in your head instead of out loud. At the end of the day he pulled James and Lily aside. "James, what did you do to get Ms. Evans so mad?" he asked. When James didn't answer, Professor Slughorn said, "You messed with the heart. Probably interfered with a boyfriend. Am I right?"

"Yes sir," James answered quietly.

"You bet he did! Remus is still hanging by his ankles in the common room!" Lily exclaimed hotly.

No one noticed, but Severus was still in the room, listening to every word.

"You didn't notice a couple of little glitches in your spell. It didn't last long enough: only twelve hours. Young Mr. Lupin came to me and explained." Slughorn remarked to James

Severus left when he heard that James' spell didn't work all the way, his face slightly red.

"Oh, I didn't notice you Severus. Have a good weekend," Lily said, but he had already left.

"Seeing as this is a personal matter, I will let you two figure it out. I'm going to dinner," Slughorn said. "Ms. Evans, will you join me? That was a lovely spell you put on James' cheek, but take it off…and tell me how you did it." With that, he left.

Lily very reluctantly took the words off of James' cheek and marched out of the room. As soon as she left Remus came out of the supply closet. "You can have her, man. I don't want her if her kisses come out like that," Remus said in a frightened tone.

"Thanks. Sorry about the ankle thing," James replied.

"No problem."

That night, Lily, Lizzy, and Livvy were walking through the portrait door when Marc popped out of nowhere.

"You guys aren't allowed to apparate on grounds!" Livvy yelled harshly.

Marc ran after Livvy, followed by Lily and Lizzy. "Will you…uh…uh…" stuttered Marc.

"What? I have to do homework!" cried Livvy, even harsher than before.

"Uh…can you check my work?" That was not what he had intended to say, but he couldn't say what he felt inside.

Livvy went to the study. Her face was red. When Livvy left the room, Lizzy pulled Marc over and gave him some tips on how to ask a girl out.

"Don't do it like James," added Lily when Lizzy had finished. "He's kind of cute, but…"

"Not the right guy." Finished Lizzy.

"By the way, I think you guys are perfect for each other," Lily added.

"Go ask her now!" said Lizzy, and pushed Marc towards the door to the study.

"Wow. I'll be the only one who doesn't have a boyfriend after this," said Lily. "Do you think Severus is good for me?"

"Severus looks good for you, except that he's in Slytherin, is a pureblood, and he hates you!" exclaimed Lizzy sarcastically.

"Oh well…I guess I'll be single forever," Lily concurred.

With that, they both left and went to their room to speak more privately with Livvy. They didn't know James had been using his invisibility cloak to listen in the whole time.


End file.
